Teaching rocketry. Why???

[jflis]

I have the privilege to teach rocketry to many kids each year between local elementary schools, TARC teams, and youth groups such as CAP, cub/boy scouts, girl scouts, 4-H, etc. I do this for many reasons and, no, FlisKits is *not* the reason (I've done this long before FlisKits was even a thought...)

But I am often asked "why?" Why do I spend the time, the money, the vacation, etc, etc...

There are many reasons. Many are obvious to most anyone (fun, exciting, rewarding, etc, etc, etc...) They are right, those are BIG incentives and I encourage everyone here to do a class and experience that, but...

...but.

There is another, more overiding reason (at least for me) and this is it...

(see attachment)

 

[jflis]

No, it's not the puppies... though, they *are* cute, aren't they???

That is just a sampling of the "Thank You" notes that I found in my mailbox today from a rocket class that I did at an elementary school about an hour away. Actually, this particular school got into rocketry because of another school that I taught at and the teachers moved to this new school. I had taught the teachers how to build the rockets and *they* taught the class.

All I did was to come before the build session to discuss rocketry and space science, then after the build to help them fly.

I will be posting the pictures soon (I will post a couple here tonight) and will provide a pointer to the photo album later this weekend.

Of all of the activity, work, planning and execution (not to mention nervousness) that goes into teaching a class full of youngsters, nothing really sends home the message of "rewarding" like sitting in a big soft chair (out on the picnic table in the warmer weather), with a piping hot cup of coffee and reading each and every one of these notes.

Here is one of them:

 

[jflis]

Nothing earth shattering. No paradigm shifts.

I've never found the cure for cancer in these notes, nor the solution to world hunger.

I once found a young girl who had never made a "connection" with her dad 'till she had to build a rocket in my class...

I had a young boy who (apparently) had never succeeded in anything he'd every tried, till his rocket class.

and the list goes on...

Here is a picture of one of three classes, 78 students and 3 teachers. All having a great time learning and exploring with rocketry.

What's not to enjoy??

so.
Enjoy.

Then, bring rocketry to a group of kids. You'll be glad that you did, and so will they.

 

[Stones]

Jim...
Take a bow sir. You've earned it. You have "payed forward" and then some with your generosity towards the kids and rocketry as a whole. May you always have a young heart.

 

[sylvie369]

Way to go, Jim.

I went to a really p***-poor grade school that had only one thing going for it: the fifth grade teacher was an excellent science teacher, and he was into model rockets. We flew 'em a number of times that year (back in '71, I think), and I spent the rest of grade school fantasizing about them. It stuck. I now have a Ph.D., and I teach science to women who would never take science if they didn't have to. I also have an all-women (and mostly minority) group of college students competing in a rocketry competition (the other teams are almost entirely 20-something white male engineers).

I often think I'd like to go find that 5th grade teacher and let him know where his influence led.

 

[jflis]

I had a similar experience with a science teacher and an english teacher. About a year after opening FlisKits, I actualy was able to locate them after a long search. It was wonderful to talk to them as an adult and to express to them how much of an impact they had on me as a student

As for taking a bow, nah. Those *kids* should be taking a bow. They nailed it, 100%. Every rocket flew!

There are many, MANY folks in this forum and elsewhere who "pay forward", I just want to give the incentive to those who have not yet tried it. It's a special kind of feeling, it truely is.

 

[Thrasher]

I started rocketry in Jr. High rocket club run by the science teacher. That was 25 years ago.

Now I'm helping my kids with rockets in First Grade.

Here's a photo of my son's first grade class at rocket day. Of course, I brought many of my own to launch including at least three fliskits.

 

[sylvie369]

Originally posted by Thrasher
I started rocketry in Jr. High rocket club run by the science teacher. That was 25 years ago.

Now I'm helping my kids with rockets in First Grade.

Here's a photo of my son's first grade class at rocket day. Of course, I brought many of my own to launch including at least three fliskits.

Beautiful. There were some days when it was great to be a kid, weren't there? Of course the folks here have managed to keep those days going.

 

[AKPilot]

You know, I've said it before but this is the EPITOME of what rocketry is about!!!

Jim, Thrasher, and anybody else that does this for kids is making a solid investment into children. My hat is off to each and every one of you, sincerely and from the heart.

I forgot what the statistic is, or how is was derived, but it's been stated that there's an 80% chance that a child will pursue a career in something they were exposed to through Scouts or other youth organizations.

What better way to shore up the Aerospace/Science industry, and keep kids motivated than to expose them to rocketry at this age. I wish that I had teachers or adults that did this when I was a kid.

As you may recall, I do this with the scouts as well. But for my own children what I've been trying to do is expose them to rocketry from ages 6-12, expose them to R/C aircraft somewhere between 10-15. Then start teaching them to fly around 15, with the hopes that they get both their drivers license and pilots certificate at age 16. While I don't want to choose their career path, I'm hoping that aerospace will teach them both the self-discipline and the self-confidence they'll need as adults.

 

[jflis]

The biggest thing that many miss is that for most (all?) of us who began rocketry in the 50's/60's (and even the 70's), it was still *new*. There *wasn't* anybody to teach it to us because there wasn't anybody who *knew* about it!

We were on our own and we taught it to ourselves. We had no choice. The advantage that *I* had is that my mom was heavily involved in many hobbies and crafts, so she appreciated the value of a hobby and had the tools and skills to teach me crafts. While she didn't know from a rocket, she was an expert in the use of a razor knife and cutting things like balsawood. This was invaluable to me.

Others had their own advantage, even if it was just tenacity

These days (just my opinion), if a kid is going to learn or do something "completely on their own", it's probably going to be a video game or learning how to do icons in chat rooms...

That leaves it to adult mentors to bring their interest to the kids, be it a hobby, craft or other skill that they enjoy. It has an incredible effect.

When I was a school board memeber and attended my first graduation, 95% of the graduating class greeted me as "Rocket Man" because they had sat in one of my classes some time is the previous 12 years. Whether they ever get *into* rocketry or not, is not the main point (though it would be wonderful ), the main point is that it makes an impression that will stay with them forever and help them in ways you could never guess.

good stuff

 

[CATO]

how happy was the dog about this

 

[Thrasher]

Originally posted by akpilot
You know, I've said it before but this is the EPITOME of what rocketry is about!!!


I forgot what the statistic is, or how is was derived, but it's been stated that there's an 80% chance that a child will pursue a career in something they were exposed to through Scouts or other youth organizations.

I launched rockets from Jr. High on and now I'm an airline pilot. My 11 year old daughter launches her own rockets and she wants to be the first woman on Mars. I think it does affect a person. There are worse things for kids to be into and worse jobs for them to do when they grow up.

 

[DJDeadParrot]

Our club, PARSeC, does quite a bit with the Scouts in upstate S Carolina. And I've been asked by a couple of different people about rocketry for their Scout packs in north Georgia. I'm hoping to have the time to follow up with them this winter.

 

[jflis]

I was surprised to get several requests for winter projects this year from the Scouts (it's a first for me )

Will be interesting to see how they go!

 

[AKPilot]

Originally posted by jflis
I was surprised to get several requests for winter projects this year from the Scouts . . .

Jim . . . Rocketry is being used as a method of instruction for the Boy Scout leaders now under their Woodbadge Training (their "PhD" of scouting). They show the movie October Sky and then use rockets and a launch as a team building exercise. I'm sure the adult leaders, like myself, had so much of a good time that they're trying to use this more with the boys.

Heck, if it wasn't for this exposure, I wouldn't be here! It introduced me to rocketry.

 

[brianc]

Originally posted by jflis
That leaves it to adult mentors to bring their interest to the kids, be it a hobby, craft or other skill that they enjoy. It has an incredible effect.
[snip]
Whether they ever get *into* rocketry or not, is not the main point (though it would be wonderful ), the main point is that it makes an impression that will stay with them forever and help them in ways you could never guess.

good stuff

I have to agree 100%!

Last month, I had the pleasure of doing a 'teach-in' for my son's 5th grade class. Due to
time and space constraints, we could only launch one or two saucers. Normally, I like to have
all of the kids 'push the button', but obviously this wasn't going to work. So, I made sure to
keep track of the ones that were answering the questions during the classroom discussion
then picked one kid that answered to most.

A few days later, I find out from the teacher that was probably the best thing this young boy
has ever had happen! Not only did he surprise the teacher by knowing as much as he did,
but the simple thing of getting to launch the demo rocket opened him up in other areas in class!

I encourage everyone to find ways to reach the kids! Good stuff indeed!

 

[GuyNoir]

Originally posted by jflis
But I am often asked "why?" Why do I spend the time, the money, the vacation, etc, etc...

I believe the education of future generations of rocketeers is part of the core mission of the NAR.

I made a promise to NAR members when I became President that we'd increase the educational outreach the Association did.

While many members focus on the TARC (which is a GREAT event, and for which we have a record 290 mentors this year!), we also have members in the field like yourself doing other classroom projects, talks, builds, launches, etc. We have a new version of our Educator CD-ROM (see NAR Homepage for details), and we're working on formal alliances with other educational organizations besides the AIA (our TARC co-sponsor).

Harry Stine, one of the founding fathers of our hobby, once told me, "Bunny, unless you (and he meant ME personally) go out and teach the next generation, we're in danger of losing everything we've worked so hard to gain." That advice is dead to rights, spot on, and as relevent today as it was when Harry passed it along to me so many years ago.

Keep up that field work, folks. It's the future heart and soul of our hobby.

 

[sandman]

You believe this and you believe that...you guys can believe what you want.

I do it 'cause it's fun!

Heck, sometimes I even get a free "school lunch" out of the deal.

 

[AKPilot]

Originally posted by sandman

Heck, sometimes I even get a free "school lunch" out of the deal.

You sure this is a good deal?! I've seen my kids' lunch menu . . .